Another "interesting" year for Patti and I.
An ancient Chinese curse goes, "May you live in interesting times." And
these certainly are "Interesting times" for us, the U.S. and the world.
The depression has hit us all hard but we'll survive it, and hopefully come out
stronger on the other end.

Patti changed jobs once again at the beginning of
the year. The nursing home was doing some things that didn't agree with
Patti's thinking about how the elderly should be treated and an opportunity
presented itself for her to move to being a "Nurse Underwriter" for insurance
companies who sell policies for Long Term Care for the elderly. Working at
the nursing home gave her the background she needed for this job.

I definitely had an "interesting" year. In
the spring I was looking forward to one of my best summers in a long time as my
health had improved and I was excited to get at my gardens, motorcycle and shop.
But it was not to be. In May I was working on the pool, getting it ready
to start for the summer, when arising from kneeling I twisted my leg and broke
the tibia and blew out the meniscus in the knee. I ended up not able to
hardly walk all summer, in excruciating pain, and on meds that numbed my mind
even more than it normally is so numbed. But over Thanksgiving week I was
in the hospital getting a bionic knee. The break finally healed and a week
after the surgery I was up walking without a cane for the first time in at least
five years. The change has been no less than amazing as most of the summer
was spent walking with crutches, a cane or in a wheelchair. I'm feeling
many times better and being ambulatory is wonderful and coupled with my weight
loss I feel that I could conquer the world, or at least beat it to its knees.
<grin> Patti still has problems with her neck injury but she's now in
therapy and hopefully that will help.

We've got a couple of new grandchildren.
Andre' and Cassandra had a little girl named Ayla and Kelli and Mike had a
wonderful daughter they named Grace. Ayla is in Arizona so I have yet to
hold her but Grace is here and she's become the apple of Grandma and Grandpa's
eyes.

In spite of health issues for both Patti and I we
have been quite blessed. We have great family and friends, a very nice
roof over our heads, plenty of food in the refrigerator, and all in all a
wonderful life. And we hope that each one of you will also be so blessed.

With love, and plenty of holiday cheer,
Sheldon & Patti Aubut
December 2008